Counter



M y 1935. A. CONSTANTINE 2,042,249

COUNTER Filed May 16, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 1936- A. CONSTANTINE2,042,249

COUNTER Filed May 16, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z i I INVENTOR B 41. LAN@Ms'rA/vrM/E Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to golf stroke counters and has for its object toprovide one of the golf clubs, preferably the putter which is used forthe last stroke or strokes in placing the ball in the hole, with astroke registering device in the handle thereof.

Another object of this invention is to make this stroke counting devicesimple and inexpensive in its manufacture.

Another object of this invention is to so embody the stroke countingdevice in the handle of the club that it will not in any way interferewith the use of the club.

Another object of this invention is to provide the counter stroke devicewith a totalizer on which the total numbers of strokes may beregistered.

Another object is to provide a device that will be in the hand of theplayer ready for use whenever he needs it.

All these and other objects of this invention will become more readilyapparent from the detailed description which follows, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinalsectional view of the handle of a golf club with my counter strokedevice embodied therein.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the club handle with the counter strokedevice with the number of strokes for the first and second holeregistered thereon.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the handle and counter strokemechanism, the section being taken on the line 3:c-3:r of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross section of the club handle and counter strokemechanism, the section being taken on the line 4:0-41: of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of the counter wheel.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of another modified form of the counterwheel.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a handle with anothermodified form of the counter incorporated therein.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of the handle and counterillustrated in Figure 7, the section being taken on the line Ila-4h: ofFigure 1.

Figure 9 is a detail view of the assembled 50 counter mechanism beforeit is inserted into the handle.

Figure 10 is a detail view of a modified locking mechanism for theoperating member of the counter.

Figure 11 is a detail perspective view of a sleeve carrying the numeralsfor the counter wheels which may be slipped over the counter wheels andsuitably fastened thereto in place of having the numerals provideddirectly on the periphery of the counter wheels illustrated in Figures 7and 8.

In the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicatelike parts.

The stroke counting device forming the subject matter of my invention isincorporated in the handle of the hollow shaft of the club which, forthis purpose, is simply provided with a series of windows or sightopenings thru which the numbers on the counter wheels of the registeringmechanism can be observed. The device is operated by the end of thehandle which in no way interferes with the ordinary use of the handle.

As illustrated in the figures, the handle section I forms a continuationof the shaft 2. The shaft and its handle section are made up of metaltubing, although for the purpose of my invention, only the handleportion need be made tubular.

Within the tubular handle are provided and suitably fastened the spacingwashers 3 and 4, one near the inner end of the handle and the other atthe outer end thereof. Between these washers are located the counterwheels 5 to Hi inclusive which space each other to locate their numbersin line with the windows or sight openings ll provided in the handle.Nine of these openings are used for the counter wheels which registerthe number of strokes for each of the nine holes and these are marked 1to 9 inclusive. Three additional openings near the end of the handle andslightly spaced from the first nine holes cooperate with three counterwheels on which the total number of strokes at the end of the game areregistered.

Each of the counter wheels comprises a pair of sleeves l8 and 19 whichare suitably fastened together with one sleeve telescoped over theother. The outer sleeve l8 has an annular flange or wall 20 formed atone end, and the inner sleeve I9 has an annular flange or wall 2| formedat the other end so as to form bearings and spacing members which centerand space the counter wheels on the counter operating member 22. Fromthe periphery of the inner sleeve l9 are struck in the radiallyprojecting longitudinal flanges 23, 23 which form suitably spacedshoulders within the counter wheels with which the counter wheels arerotated as will hereinafter he described.

From the periphery of the outer sleeve l8 of each counter wheel arestruck out the friction members 24, 24 which are adapted to frictionallyengage the inside of the handle to frictionally hold the counter wheelsin the position into which they are moved by the counter operatingmember 22.

On the perimeter of each counter wheel are provided a series of numeralswhich are in line with the windows or sight openings il in the handle Iso that on the rotation of a particular counter wheel a numeral,corresponding to the number of strokes taken for the hole to beregistered by this counter wheel, is brought in register with the sightopening I! of this hole in the handle I.

Nine sight openings are provided in the handle and after nine holes areplayed the total number of strokes are registered 'on the total" countercomprising the three smaller sight openings near the end of the handleand the counter wheels cooperating therewith. These latter counterwheels are provided with numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and so as toindicate together if necessary a total of more than one hundred strokes.In playing on a golf course with eighteen holes, the number of strokeson the first nine holes is registered and their total transferred to thetotal counter. The number of strokes taken for the second nine holes isregistered in the same way as the first nine holes and may be registeredon the total indicated on the total counter for the first nine holes inorder to indicate thereon the number of strokes taken for the eighteenholes.

The counter wheels are operated by the operating member 22 whichcomprises a tubing which carries on the inside at an intermediate pointa cotter pin shaped spring 25. This spring is suitably anchored in thetubing and the sides thereof are bent out at opposite sides to providethe lugs 26 and 21 thereon. These lugs project thru suitable openings inthe tubular operating member to have them engage between the shoulders23 of the counter wheels and make contact therewith to rotate thecounter wheels on the rotation of the operating member 22.

The tubular operating member is provided at its outer end with a shorthandle 28 which forms a continuation of the handle I of the shaft of theclub. In the handle 28 of the operating member is anchored the springpressed latch 29 which projects out of the handle into the end of thewasher 4 and engages behind the shoulder 30 provided therein. Theengagement of the spring pressed latch 29 behind the shoulder 30 thusnormally or automatically locks the handle 28 of the operating member 22to the handle I. A thumb member 3| is carried by the spring pressedlatch 29 in a suitable opening in the side of the handle 28 so that onthe depression of this thumb member the spring pressed latch isdisengaged from the shoulder 30 and the handle 28 with its operatingmember is free to be pulled away from the handle I. In the closedposition of the operating member 22 in which the handle 28 thereof islocked to the handle I of the shaft, the protruding lugs 26 and 21 ofthe cotter pin shaped spring 25 are located outside of the spacingwasher 3 in an inoperative position in which the operating member cannoteffect the setting of the counter wheels. When it is desired to operateone of the counter wheels, the handle 28 is unlocked as above describedand the operating member pulled out of the handle I to a position inwhich the lugs 26 and 21 engage into the counter wheel which is to beoperated thereby. For example, if the number of strokes taken for thesecond hole is to be registered by the counter wheel cooperating withthe sight opening marked 2 for the second hole, the operating member ispulled out of the handle as illustrated in Figure 2 until an annularline marked 2 is brought in register with the end of the handle I. Thisline indicates that the operating member has been moved to a position inwhich the yielding lugs 26 and 21 engage into counter wheel 6. Arotation of the operating member 22 by its handle 28 in this positionthen brings the lugs 26 and 21 in engagement with shoulders 23 withinthis counter wheel which will rotate the counter wheel on the continuedrotation of the operating member. The counter wheel is rotated until thedesired numeral appears in the sight opening. The operating member isthen pushed back into the handle. In this way any one of the counterwheels may thus be set by simply withdrawing the operating member to aposition in which the corresponding calibration on the operating memberis brought to the end of the handle I. The operating member is thenrotated within the counter wheel to bring it to the desired position andthen returned.

The counter wheels registering the total number of strokes for eithernine or eighteen holes played, are operated in the same manner as thecounter wheels which register the number of 30 strokes for each of theholes.

In Figure 5 I have illustrated a sectional view of a slightly modifiedform of one of the counter wheels in which a pair of friction springs 32and 33 are supported on the inner sleeve to provide the frictionalcontact between the counter wheels and the inside of the handle.

In Figure 6 I have illustrated an end elevation of another modified fromof the counter wheel in which the friction springs 34 and 35 are used toprovide the friction between the counter wheels and the handle to keepthe counter wheels from freely rotating within the handle.

Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings show the counter wheels longer than theyneed be in practice and it is understood that they may be made very muchnarrower in order to reduce the length of the group of counters and havethem operate in a minimum space.

In Figures 7 to 9 inclusive I have illustrated a more simplifiedconstruction of the counter mechanism. In this form each of the counterwheels 40 comprises a sleeve with an annular inwardly projecting flange4| at one end and the shoulders 42 struck in from the periphery thereof.These counter wheels are mounted in a sleeve 43 and are spaced in thissleeve between the washers 44 and 44A thereof. Struck in from the sleeve43 are a series of spring fingers 48 which engage the periphery of thecounter wheels to make frictional contact with them and yieldinglycenter these wheels within the sleeve. These spring fingers keep thecounter wheels from freely rotating within the sleeve.

The sleeve 43 is cut away at a point below the sight openings in thehandle 2 and in this cut away portion is placed a transparent strip ofmaterial 48 such as celluloid which permits the reading of the numbersthru the sight openings in the handle but keeps foreign matter fromentering the counter mechanism. The sleeve with the counter mechanism isinserted into the handle 2 and is suitably anchored therein as forexample by means of the screw 41.

In the form of the counter mechanism illustrated in Figure '7 theyielding lugs 26 and 21 of the cotter pin shaped spring 25 serves tohold the handle 45 of the operating member against the handle lot theclub by their engagement behind the washer 44.

While I have described my counter as applied to golf clubs, it isunderstood that the same counter or a modification of it may be used forother registering purposes.

Of course the counter shown and described may be changed in variousways, and variations may be required under certain conditions,therefore, while some of the constructional details are deemedpreferable and I have shown and described these specifically, it is tobe understood that I do not limit myself to such precise constructionbut consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterationsas fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

In Figure 10 I have illustrated a modified form of locking means forlocking the handle of the operating member to the handle of the club.This comprises a cotter pin shaped spring 50 which is suitably mountedin the operating member and carries the locking dogs 5| and 52 which areadapted to engage behind the locking flange provided in the washer 44A.The cotter pin shaped spring 50 is compressed to disengage the lockingdogs 5| and 52 from the locking flange by means of the buttons 53 and 54provided on the outer ends of the spring 50.

The numerals for the counter wheels may be etched or otherwise formed ona separate sleeve 55 and the sleeve telescoped over the counter wheel.Such a sleeve'is illustrated in Figure 11.

I claim:

1. In a counter mechanism for golf club handles the combination of ahollow shaft and a hollow handle, concentric bearing means within thehollow handle, an operating member mounted to rotate and slide withinsaid bearing means and extend from the outer end of the handle into thehollow shaft, a series of counter wheels mounted to rotate within saidhandle concentric to said operating member and spaced therefrom, flangesseparating consecutive counter wheels and encircling said operatingmember, an inwardly projecting member carried by each of said counterwheels and a spring pressed member carried by said operating member andadapted to yield on the longitudinal movement of said operating memberto consecutively and automatically engage behind each of said flanges onthe endwise movement of said operating member in a uniformly held radialposition thereof and adapted to engage the inwardly projecting membersof said counter wheels on the rotating movement of said operatingmember, said hollow handle having a sight opening for each of saidcounter wheels.

2. In a counter mechanism for golf club handles having a series ofcylindrical counter wheels mounted to rotate therein the combination ofan operating member mounted concentrically within said counter wheelsand adapted to rotate and slide back and forth therein, said operatingmember having a pair of diametrically opposite openings therein, aspring located within said operating member so as to have part of saidsprings project thru the openings in said operating member andsuccessively and automatically engage into said counter wheels duringthe endwise movement in a uniformly radial position of said operatingmember and engage said counter wheels during the rotating movement ofsaid operating member.

3. In a counter mechanism for use in golf club handles the combinationof a sleeve member, a series of tubular counter wheels mounted to rotatein said sleeve member and held conveniently spaced therein, a radial lugprojecting inwardly from each of said counter wheels, a counteroperating member mounted centrally of said sleeve member and adapted torotate and move endwise therein, yielding counter operating meanscarried by and cooperating with said counter operating member to permitthe manual selection of any of said counter wheels and provide anautomatic engagement of the selected counter wheels by said counteroperating means while moving said counter operating member endwise in auniformly radial position thru varying radial positions of said counterwheels.

4. In a. counter mechanism for use in golf club handles, a sleevemember, a series of cylindrical counter wheels mounted to rotate withinsaid sleeve member, flanges separating consecutive counter wheels, anoperating member mounted to slide endwise within said counter wheels, ayielding member carried by said operating member and projecting from theperiphery thereof, said member yielding inwardly of said operatingmember on its movement over the flanges between said counter wheels onthe endwise movement of said operating member and automaticallyreturning to engage the counter wheels between said flanges.

ALLAN CONSTANTINE.

